Sarah Ridgeway to Kindle Menorah 1st Night of Chanukah

Sarah Ridgeway Lighting the menorah at the new Jessica Ridgeway Park in Westminster December 2013

On Tuesday December 16th at 7:00 pm a Hip Hop Menorah Lighting will kick off the holiday of Chanukah at the Orchard Town Center in Westminster. The menorah lighting will be dedicated in memory of Jessica Ridgeway with the middle candle being lit by Sarah Ridgeway, Jessica’s mother.

The ceremony will include a performance by the Traveling Performers and include Cyr Wheel, Fire Performance, Stilt Characters and b-boying.

Additional entertainment will be provided by Dan Yolles who will sing traditional Hanukah melodies.

Latkahs, Donuts and Hot Beverages will be distributed along with prizes for the kids.

The event is hosted by Chabad of NW Metro Denver and is free and open to the public.

Although the Ridgeways are not Jewish they related to the message of Chanukah delivered by Rabbi Benjy Brackman of Chabad of NW Metro Denver at the first menorah lighting that took place shortly after Jessica’s tragic death. “We don’t stamp out darkness with a broom but rather by lighting a candle,” said Rabbi Brackman, “and therefore the message of the menorah is for each of us to remember Jessica by becoming a beacon of light to those around us and to society at large.”

Special commemorative glow in the dark t-shirts have been printed with the message “Just add Light” on the front and the date of Jessica’s passing on the sleeve.